Logging of Vic national rainforest site: feds should intervene

Greens Senator and forests spokesperson Lee Rhiannon says the bid by Environment East Gippsland to gain a Supreme Court injunction to stop illegal logging by VicForests of a protected National Rainforest Site of Significance should spur the federal government on to intervene.

VicForests has been ordered not to log the area until the case returns to court on Tuesday.

“To date the federal government has reneged on its responsibilities to step in and stop VicForests logging this protected area,” Senator Rhiannon said.

“It has left the small but courageous Environment East Gippsland, which has already won a landmark court injunction to halt logging in at Brown Mountain, to do the job.

“This action puts the federal government on notice that it must be the guardian of these forests that store carbon, provide habitat for native species, conserve water and boost Victoria’s tourism potential.

“The Baillieu government has trumped even the Brumby government in policies that abandon native forests to the logging industry.

“The Greens congratulate campaigners who have worked to protect this significant protected rainforest area which adjoins the Errinundra National Park, from illegal logging.

“Allowing chainsaws to destroy these rainforests flies in the face of logic and sensible environmental management,” Senator Rhiannon said.